Needle-holder for sound-boxes.



E. A. DODEHN NEEDLE HOLDER FOR SOUND BOXES.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. 25.1917- Patented Aug. 20, 1918.

MWEJWD \NITNESSES ATTORNEY ellioient in operation, notlikely to become unrrnn srn'rns Afilflll ll enrich.

EMIL ALBERT DODELIN, Q13 MQQBIES'IOKWN, JERSEY,

NEEDLE-HOLDER FOR SOUND-IBDXES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that EMIL ALBERT DonnLIN is a citizen of United States, residing at 36 S. 2d street, Moorestown, in the county of Burlington and State of New Jersey, and has invented new and useful Improvements in Needle Holders for Sound Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to talking machines, and has particular reference to the soundboxes thereof.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved and simplified device for use in conjunctionwith the soundbox of a talk ing machine, whereby a needle will be automatically clutched when the soundbox is in an active position, and similarly released when said soundbox is in an inactive position.

Another object resides in providing means for facilitating the operation of associating a needle with the stylus of a talking machine, reproducer or soundbox, in order that the process will be simplified and expedited, this being accomplished by eliminating the service of set screws hitherto employed in this capacity, and by using in place of said screws automatically operating mechanism which will efficiently perform the same function as the set screws, and will eliminate to a large extent the element of manuallabor hitherto necessary to eflicct the positioning of said needles.

Further objects reside in a device of the above character which may be formed with or conveniently attached to a talking machine, and in one which will be reliable and out of order.

In the drawing accompanying this specification and forming a part thereof, the preferable form of the invention is illus trated, and in Which Figure 1 isa side elevation of a talking machine, illustrating the application of the present invention to the soundbox thereof, the latter being shown in an inactive position.

Fig. 2 is a similar view, on a large scale, disclosing the soundbox in its active or playing position.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 1- is a detail perspective view of the controlling lever.

Similar characters of reference denote Specification of Letters Patent.

latented Aug. 20, 1918.

, 1917. Serial No. 144;,731.

corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawing. Referring more particularly to the de tails of the invention, the latter is employed in connection with a talking machine 1, including the usual oscillating tone arm 2, a rotatable record support 3, and a soundbox e. lhe soundbox is movable toward and away from the record support by the usual gooseneck connection 5, formed with the tone arm 2. As all of the above members are of ordinary and well known construction, a detailed explanation relative to their operation will be accordingly omitted.

Carried by the soundbox is the usual vibrating stylus bar 6, which terminates, as usual, at its lower extremity in a needle-receiving socket 7 in which any type of a removable needle 8 is adapted to be placed for cotiperation with a record. Hitherto it has been customary to retain the needle in operative relation with the stylus bar through the provision of a set screw, but this method is open to numerous objections and disadvantages, some of which are as follows: The loss of the screw; the labor involved in effecting its adjustments; to persons not mechanically inclined its perplexing problems of operation; the loss of time incident to each insertion and removal of the needle from the socket, and to other objectionable features which need no further discussion. To produce a structure which will eliminate the above reprehensible features, the present invention contemplates the provision of a controlling lever 10, operable to be pivotally mounted as-at 11 upon the casings,

. or any other convenient part of the soundboX structure, for oscillating movement. The normally lower extremity of the lever is swiveled to a needle-engaging rod 12, which operates within a transverse bore 13 communicating with the socket 7. A helical spring 14: connects the lever 10 above its pivot 11, with the soundbox and normally operates said lever to retain the rod 12 at its extreme inward position within the bore 13.

The upper end of the lever is provided with a roller 15, which is adapted, when the soundbox is inactively positioned, to engage with a relatively stationary object, in order to eflect the oscillation of the lever, and the subsequent movement of the rod 12. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, when the soundleox is in a position disclosed in Fig. 1, the roller 15 will engage with the upper surface of the tone arm 2, this being effected by the geoseneck connection existing between the soundbox and the tone arm, so that the lever will be rocked against the action of the spring 14: to pull the rod 12' to its outermost position, that is, released from the socket 7. While the roller i resting upon the tone arm, the needle 8 may be inserted in its socket so as to be securely supported by the latter. Then upon revolving the soundbox to its active or playing position, disclosed in Fig. 2, the roller 15 being thus freed from engagement with the tone arm, will permit the lever 10 to oscil late to its normal position by the influence of the spring 11, which through its connection with the rod 12 will cause the latter to frictionally press or clutch the needle loca ted within the socket 7, and will efi'ectively prevent accidental displacement of the latter, or any undue vibration thereof.

From the foregoing it will be seen that there is provided the mechanism in which the objects of the present invention have been achieved, and that all of the advantageous features above mentioned, are, among others, present. The device is extremely simple in construction, effective and wholly automatic in operation, and by use of the same the tedious and cumbersome methods hitherto employed in securing the needle have been eliminated. The labor involved in securing the needle has been reduced to such an extent that only the removal and insertion of the needle with respect to its socket will be required to properly operate the invention.

It i thought that from the foregoing description that the operation and advantages of the invention will be clearly perceived by those skilled in the art, and therefore a more extended explanation has been accordingly omitted.

Having described the invention what is claimed as new and patentable is:

l. A needle holding attachment for talking machines, the combination with a sound box having jointed connection with the tone arm, a stylus bar pivoted upon said box and having a needle receiving socket and a bore formed therein, spring pressed means operable in the bore of the stylus bar for clutchin g a needle when the sound box is in an active position, and an oscillating member mounted upon the sound box and having pivotal connection with the spring pressed means and operable to engage said tone arm when the sound box is inactively positioned to accomplish the extraction of the spring pressed means from the bore of the stylus bar.

2. In a needle-securing device for talking machines, the combination with a tone arm having a soundbox movably connected therewith, and a needle-receiving stylus bar carried by the soundbox, of needle-retaining mean carried by said needle bar and normally operating to maintain the needle in operative relation with the stylus bar, and )iVOlJGCl releasing mechanism connected with thosound box for oscillating movement and having one end swiveled to the former mentioned means and adapted to engage the tone arm when the soundbox is in a needle-receiving and extricating position.

3. A needle retaining device for talking machines, the combination with a tone arm and a sound box swingingly carried thereby, a stylus bar pivotally mounted upon the sound box and having a needle receiving socket and a bore formed therein, of a pressure actuating. element operating laterally of and within the bore of the stylus bar, and a member mounted upon the sound box having pivotal connection at one end with the pressure actuating element and adapted to efl'ect the release of the needle upon the engagement of the opposite end of said member with the. tone arm.

4.. In. a needle retaining device for talking machines, the combination with a tone arm and a sound box swingingly carried thereby, a stylus bar pivotally mounted upon the sound box andv formed therein with a needle receiving socket, means cooperating with the stylus bar and. operable to normally retain a needle in said socket, and a controlling lever connected adjacent one end to the sound box for oscillating movement and swiveled to the former mentioned means for effecting the release of the needle upon the contact of the lever with the tone arm.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

EMIL ALBERT DODELIN.

Copies 0! this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

